This application relates generally to a pneumatic tool. More particularly, this application relates to an elongated pneumatic tool with a replaceable soft grip.
Elongated pneumatic hand tools such as air ratchets are well known. These devices typically include a head portion, a middle portion, and a handle portion, all of which may be disposed in longitudinal alignment. The head portion contains the drive end which couples to an attachment or a fastener to perform work. The middle portion contains a pneumatic motor which drives the rotary movement of the drive end. The handle portion provides an external surface for the user to grasp, and also includes an airway for the flow of compressed air into the pneumatic motor.
In order to operate an elongated pneumatic tool, the user must maintain a solid grip on the handle portion with one hand, while controlling the flow of compressed air into the tool with that same hand. This task is made more difficult because rotational torque generated during the use of the elongated pneumatic tool can cause the tool to slip from the grasp of the user. Vibrational forces generated during the normal operation may also cause the hand to lose its grip or may tire the hand, prematurely weakening the user""s grip. Consequently, it is important that the handle portion provide good traction with the hand and also provide some damping of vibrational forces.
A grip may be disposed on the handle to provide better traction and/or thermal protection of the hand. The grip is usually made of a rigid plastic material because rigid plastic is generally more durable, and can be secured onto the handle in a conventional manner by using fasteners. However, these rigid grips provide little protection against vibrational forces, and they still provide less traction than grips made of more pliant materials, such as rubber.
Softer grips made of pliant materials dampen vibrations and readily conform to the user""s hand for better traction, but they are typically not utilized because of the difficulty in retaining these grips on the handle portion. Pliant materials, such as rubber, typically degrade and fail when fastened onto a surface with a fastener. The pressure exerted on the material by the fastener typically wears down the area surrounding the fastener prematurely. Pliant materials can be glued onto the handle, but this is a permanent bond and makes replacing worn grips quite difficult. Pliant grips can also be inserted onto the handle without being fastened thereto, but dirt and debris tend to work themselves between the grip and the housing, reducing traction between the two and causing the grip to slide. Consequently, while there is a need for a pneumatic tool which has a grip portion that is made of a pliant material, this need has been left largely unsatisfied due to the difficulty of retaining a pliant grip on a handle.
Therefore, this application to provides a pneumatic powered tool that avoids the disadvantages of prior designs while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
An important feature is the provision of a pneumatic tool with a pliant hand grip that is capable of absorbing a substantial amount of the vibrational forces that are generated during the normal operation of the tool.
Another important feature is the provision of a pneumatic tool with a pliant hand grip which provides greater traction between a user""s hand and the tool.
Another important feature is the provision of a pneumatic tool with a pliant hand grip that is easily replaceable when worn down.
Another important feature is the provision of a pneumatic tool with a pliant hand grip that engages the external surface of the handle portion so as to prevent relative movement of the grip relative thereto.
Another important feature is the provision of a pneumatic tool with a hand grip that prevents the infiltration of materials between the grip and the handle.
Another important feature is the provision of a method of mounting a pliant hand grip on an elongated pneumatic tool.